Insensitive highly energetic compounds are very useful materials which may be used in a number of different applications, including explosives, propellants, weapons, etc. Trinitrotoluene (TNT) and 1,3,5-triamino-2,4,6-trinitrobenzene (TATB) are examples of common insensitive highly energetic compounds, which may take any desired form, and may be activated/detonated using an initiator, such as a blasting cap, an electrical signal, etc.
Castable energetic compounds are generally classified as either melt-castable or cast-cured. Melt-castable systems include those in which the energetic compound may be melted and cast into a munition. Cast-cured systems involve a mixture of one or more energetic compounds with a polymeric binder, cross-linker, plasticizer, and catalyst that is cast into a munition and allowed to cure in place. Both of these approaches are useful when using insensitive highly energetic compounds to prepare them for use as weapons/explosives/propellants.
Insensitive energetic compounds tend to be relatively stable, meaning that the energetic compounds will not explode easily in response to shock, fire, physical contact, etc. Instead, they preferably activate/detonate in response to an intended initiation.